Thanks to an invitation from Cate Coulacos Prato, features editor at Quilting Arts/Cloth Paper Scissors, we became part of a great book that has just been released by Interweave, "Mixed-Media Self Portraits". All of the women listed below have contributed their images and many "how to's" to the book!

Donna Anderson
Ricki Arno
Kathie Briggs
Juliana Coles
Debbi Crane
Larissa Davis
Susan Else
Karen Fricke
Janet Ghio
Chrysti Hydeck
Carol Kemp
Katie Kendrick
Jane LaFazio
Sylvia Luna
Loretta Marvel
Jenn Mason
Karen Michel
Kimberly Montagnese
Kelli Perkins
Yvonne Porcella
Cheryl Prater
Lesley Riley
Kelly Rae Roberts
Mary Beth Schwartzenberger
Beryl Taylor
K. Wayne Thornley
Elin Waterston
Linda Edkins Wyatt

Al and I both started without knowing it, with a self portrait that we had done in a class. After scanning and printing it out, we started the projects. I printed mine onto transfer paper and then to cloth. Al continued hers by coloring in the printed image and then translating it into cloth. We both struggled in our own special ways with time constraints being the main issue. Running Artgirlz takes up more time than ever imagined, and I still always feel about 3 weeks behind. Having a project like this forced us to focus on pencils, chalks, fabrics and paints for at least a little while.

It was great going through all of our boxes of Stuff looking for just the right thing to go into my box...I loved finding those special scraps of fabric to help send the message...

Al spent a lot of time painting the inside of her box...putting on color, scraping and sanding it off...applying it again...She then stitched a version of the paper self, placed them together and into her box!

I searched, cut, stitched and glued things together. Using mat medium, I collaged the inside walls of the box with words and images, added a paint wash on the outside.

Then that day comes that you just have to send the project off and then it's on to the next thing. We have had the book for a week or so and it is very inspiring to see all of the different approaches to oneself.

Check it out and give it a try. You can use any materials, any size, any part of yourself. The hardest part for me is turning off that pesky judge and just enjoying the process!

Take some time to wander through the sites listed above...always a twist here and there! Have at it and have fun trying something new!

Always...well, mostly trying...

We have unpacked from Art - Is in Connecticut! We had a group of at least 40 women making paper crowns on Saturday. It seemed like everyone had a great time, cutting, stamping, gluing,
coloring their crowns and all took on quite a royal posture!! Looking forward to spending more time there next year. Will keep everyone posted!

Al got hit with a nasty cold and is finally feeling a bit better. Midge is off to LA for a few days to see her daughter Beth. Sue and I are packing up again and heading across the bridges and the Sea and Stars Quilt Show in Portsmouth, RI. Looking forward to sharing our wares with local stitchers!!

Then Al and I will head to Houston for a couple of dayz at Quilt Market. We will be supporting
Brewer and their sales staff, helping to get Artgirlz out there in the world. We will be doing a School House Presentation Friday afternoon. We will be in the Brewer Booth on Sat from 2-4 and Sun from 10-12 doing demos and photo ops with Artgirlz props!

Somewhat in denial about my own cold situation....

Keep encouraging folks to vote....did we tell you that our Obama sign was ripped off! Eekkkk...

Trying to get a post in before another month flies by...I am so behind in my social networking!!
About three weeks ago we took Artgirlz on the road locally, and did the Farmers Market at Casey Farms and the Peace Festival in Peacedale, RI. We sold some goodies and mostly had paper, glue and scissors set up so that the kidz could do their thing!! And they did!! We all love watching the kidz get into it...concentrating, looking for just the right thing, and explaining the story behind their decisions!!
This week we are pulling it together for the Art-Is gathering in Cromwell Ct. I think that all of the class kits are together, so it is the rest of the tasks that go into preparing for a show! It should be fun, and I think that we have about 50 folks signed up to to a Saturday Night Extravaganza with the Artgirlz!!


We have had lots of tasks around the yard, and we decided to do a second blog, TheGreengirlz on which to put our farming stories. That will leave this site for Artgirlz business and creative updates!!

I also wanted to say that we will not be in Houston for Festival this year. It was a very hard decision, based on the financials involved with the whole event. Al and I will be at Market for a couple of days but will miss seeing all of our buddies at the Festival!!!